SCHOOL TRANSFERS MADE EASIER FOR MILITARY FAMILIES – KNOW YOUR MILITARY RIGHTS
If you have a military child, moving to another place means there’s gonna be lots of change.
One of the big changes kids always have to go through is switching schools. This can be a stressful process for military families if you aren't aware of all of your military rights that you have when switching schools for your kids.
Many families worry that their child might lose support when they are on the move, especially if their child has an IEP or 504 Plan, but that is not the case. This is thanks to military rights.
What Is an Individualized Education Program (IEP)?
An Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a plan that outlines the educational support services for a student with disabilities who is eligible for special education.
It’s more detailed in that it provides both accommodations and services for students who qualify for special education. Special education includes speech therapy, occupational therapy, behavioral support, or specialized classroom instruction.
The program also helps explain how exactly the school will help the military child reach the goals that families want.
To be exact, IEPs are required under the IDEA, a federal law that ensures all students with disabilities receive a free and appropriate education.
There are three criteria that must be met so that the student can receive special education:
- A qualifying disability
- A disability that impacts a child’s learning
- Your student requires specialized instruction to reach their educational goals
With an IEP, the parent is considered an important member of the IEP team.
Additionally, an IEP includes information about the students’ levels of performance, goals, related services, changes to placement, accommodations, and modifications, if needed.
What Is a 504 Plan?
On the other hand, there is something called a 504 Plan. In this case, the plan is created to help students with disabilities who don’t need special education but still need classroom support.
They might have a medical or learning condition that could possibly affect their ability to participate in school activities, and of course, no military family wants that for their child. So, this plan helps them, and it might offer accommodations such as extended test time, breaks during lessons, or even seating arrangements near the teacher.
It has the goal to support and remove barriers to learning without changing the actual instruction. The main goal is to make sure that students have equal access to education.
Additional Programs That Protect Your Child's Education Rights
Below are additional programs that work to protect the educational rights of military children:
- Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children
This compact helps ensure a smooth transition for military kids when they move to a new school district. It helps ensure that the child is placed in a comparable program, that they can continue their education in the same grade level, and includes military students as a priority group in existing open enrollment prioritization systems.
- Post-9/11 GI Bill Transferability
This program allows active-duty service members and reserve members to transfer their unused Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to their children or spouse.
How Should You Move with an Education Plan?
Most families worry about their child’s education, and moving to a new school doesn’t remove the child’s needs or the support that they have already been receiving.
When you move, the new school that your child is going to transfer to is required by federal law to make sure that the existing 504 Plan or IEP should be implemented as well, which means your child should still receive the services.
It’s important to know that these protections are federally mandated, but the services delivered might have differences depending on what school district you’re in. So, if you know your military rights, your child won’t lose their services just because you have to move.
Supporting Your Child During a School Transition
Being there to support your child during a school transition is also very important because moving alone can be stressful for them. And so there are ways to support them; you could just simply listen and reassure them that it’s okay to feel a little bit nervous about the move.
Start with the practical steps, such as getting all the required paperwork for the new school, school records, and all kinds of forms, because, believe it or not, that’s one of the big challenges that you’re also going to face in the move.
It can be hard, let’s admit it, but military life isn’t always easy and perfect. However, military families don’t have to start from scratch every time they move because federal laws and agreements like the Interstate Compact, the 504 Plans, or IEPs are with them. So, make sure you know your military rights to make the process for your family smooth.
Read next:
- Understanding the Impact That Military Mental Health Issues Have on Family Life
- 4 Ways Military Parents Can Stay Connected with Their Kids During Deployment
- 5 Tips Every Milspouse Needs to Thrive During the First Deployment
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